TARPON CATCH AND RELEASE

Project Title: Physiological Effects of Body-Size and Catch-and-Release Angling in Tarpon (Megalops atlanticus)

Catch-and-Release fisheries are increasingly part of management plans for many fish species. Depending on the species, some fish experience elevated post-release mortality, whereas others show no effect of angling on fish mortality. The economically important tarpon fishery in the United States is primarily catch and release, so maximizing post-release survival and minimizing stress response are critical to the continued success of the fishery. Unfortunately, few data exist on the effect of catch and release fishing on tarpon.

The Atlantic tarpon is world renowned and sought after by recreational anglers because of its fighting ability. Large tarpon in excess of 100 pounds are caught throughout Florida as a seasonal fishery that targets sexually mature fish in salt water environments before, during and after their spawning season. Sub-adult tarpon (sexually immature) are much smaller (ca. 5 to 30 pounds), and are targeted year round in backwater, estuarine, and pond environments. Both size classes support the recreational tarpon fishery of Florida. Ongoing catch-and-release mortality research on adult tarpon suggests that most tarpon that are handled correctly recover from angling in the absence of large predators. It is unclear, however, if smaller tarpon are similarly able to recover after release. Also unclear is whether there are physiological stresses on released fish that might cause longer-term issues. Understanding how tarpon of all sizes react to catch-and-release fishing is essential to conservation and responsible angling.

Research is ongoing to examine the physiological effects of catch and release fishing on adult (>70 pounds) and sub-adult (<30 pounds) tarpon.

• Total Project Cost: $68,470
• Matching Funds: $46,157
• Requested Funds: $22,313